Hi Bill, My name is Joe. Some
folks know me as “joe in ga”. And I’m here to tell you that after today, you’ll
probably want to have Linda teach you a little something‚ about computers. You
obviously know what GWRRA is, right? Well GWRRA may be the largest GoldWing
organization in the world, but there’s more to it than a lot of folks know
about. So we’re all here to SHOW you what GWRRA is all about. GWRRA is all about
WINGERS HELPING WINGERS! In fact the only way Bonnie and I could be here today
is through the kindness of a couple of our own Chapter P members down in
Fayetteville Ga. Bill, Are you aware that there’s a message board that you can
get to from GWRRA‚s homepage on the computer? Obviously not, since you’re
OBVIOUSLY the only one here that doesn’t know what’s going on. Well lots of
folks log on there every day and chat about all kinds of things. There’s a
section called the General Boards, where they discuss politics, religion,
NASCAR, baseball, and football. They tell about new grandchildren, and the loss
of loved ones. They EVEN discuss GoldWings sometimes. There are areas to post
Technical questions, like (ask this to the crowd) which brand of tires are the
best, or which kind of oil you should be putting in your GoldWing. And there’s
even a classified section, you know, want ads. Sometimes people get into heated
arguments, bicker and call each other names, JUST like folks do with their
Â“REGULARÂ” families. But let someone come in and pick on one of them and watch
out! Cause they’ll have to go through all of us to pick on one of our own!
Anyway, back about 5 weeks ago, “SOMEONE” posted a note on the message boards
that said: “Anybody notice the message in the want ads? Says it was posted by
Bill Hines. Well, Bill didn’t post it, but it looks like someone who loves him a
lot did. Why don’t you go check it out and see if anybody here can help this
lady out.” Now here’s what they read when they opened the want ads; Dear Gold
Wing Friends: If you/or a family member can no longer ride your wing, please
answer this ad. I became ill several months ago and my husband sold his beloved
("Big Red") 1996 SE wing to pay doctor and hospital bills. This hurt him a lot
to do this and I begged him not to do it, but Bill is an honorable and loving
guy. He kept "Big Red" in a heated building with carpet during the winter and
would go shine it when weather would not permit him to ride. This was his
retirement present to himself, which gave it extra meaning. I was hoping that
maybe I could make payments to someone so I could get Bill back on a wing. The
look in his eyes whenever he sees a wing go by is heartbreaking, especially
since he planned to ride, ride, ride, in his golden years. He doesn’t know
anything about computers so if you know us please don't tell him I posted this.
I know GWRRA members are all like family, we use to go to all the rallies and
never met a stranger, so please, if you can help me get Bill back on a wing, I'd
really appreciate it. Thank you very much and please answer this email if you
can help. Well Bill, they started reading this want ad, and something in this
lady’s want ad musta touched their hearts. Because 17 minutes later, the very
first guy to post a response said: Â„Check book In hand...... OK Fellows What
Can WE DO????? Â„ Then one after another the messages were the same; One said:
Â“OK -- I'm in. If somebody wants to be the take charge type to ramrod and
expedite this, then IÂ‚m like Tommy -- check book in hand.” Another said: Â“I
got the checkbook out. Let us know where to send the check.” The next one said:
Â“I can hold off on my next piece of chrome for my Wing, and throw something in
the pot. And THIS one is my favorite. This guy said: “Count me in too! I have a
change jar with probably a couple hundred in it. I was saving it for a trip to
the casino but this would give me more return on my investment.” Bill, This went
on for THREE DAYS! There were HUNDREDS of responses. Then we saw THIS post from
Greg; “The list of pledges are still growing, and Mrs. Hines has not answered
her e-mail yet. I think she'll be in for a shock when she does. I have her phone
number now, but don't want to call yet so Mr. Hines doesn't find out.” Bill,
THREE DAYS had passed and Linda had not received ONE e-mail in answer to her
want ad. Then later that same day we saw THIS post (again from Greg): Â“UPDATE;
I just called Mrs. Hines, and she hasn't read her e-mail yet. Well she will now,
and then she'll be reading this post. She was crying when I hung up the phone.
We have a chance to really make a great thing happen here, and personally, I'd
like to put him on another Red Wing. A 96 SE would be even better, but we'll be
realistic. As my new friend Jack says, if we’re going to dream, let's dream big.
I wish you all could of heard that phone conversation.” So Bill, for the past
month we’ve been keeping a BIG secret from you. That’s right. We’ve been
sneaking around your back, planning, conniving and scheming, with YOUR OWN WIFE!
Look around and you’ll soon find out that there’s folks here from all across the
country! Last night at dinner I met folks from Tenn. ILL. Ohio, Alabama,
Vermont, Conn. Minnesota, and Washington State, just to name a few. I think we
got everything from Florida to Washington State and Vermont to Texas covered
here. And I think you’re about the only person in the Northern Hemisphere who
didn’t know what was going on. But then, that WAS our plan all along. (To crowd)
Now some might wonder why should I give to someone who is capable of doing for
themselves? Each situation is different. In the case of Bill Hines, he has been
giving all of his life. Bill Hines has been with the Volunteer Fire Dept here in
his hometown for thirty years. On the fire dept, you’re gone when there’s a
fire. Helping someone you don’t know. When there’s a tornado, you’re gone while
your own family is left alone and scared at home. When it came to his wife,
Linda, it’s no wonder Bill decided to sell his 2nd love, who he called Big Red.
After all, that was just a material thing, so the decision was easy. (Still to
crowd) It was pointed out last night at dinner that a year ago, this country
suffered a disaster that has come to be referred as 9-eleven. We all know the
feelings we went through, and how it came to us what hero’s our firefighters
are. Well, today is the opposite of that day. Last year, it was 9-eleven, and
today is eleven-9. And the joy here today is the opposite of the sadness we felt
a year ago. (Back to Bill) If you were to walk through this crowd gathered here
today, and ask each person if they think of themselves as a hero, I’ll bet NONE
of them would want to be called hero. But together, collectively as a group, we
are all heros today. And there’s a lot of folks that couldn’t be here that are
included in this group. So Bill Hines, we know that you bought that big red
GoldWing for yourself as a retirement gift. And we know that you gave it up when
the time became necessary. But we don’t want to see you without a Wing to ride,
so we helped Linda get you a little retirement present. For the past 2 weeks,
we’ve been referring to this on the Internet as Big Red 2, and we hope you will
call it that too. Especially since we had it painted on the trunk! (Have Linda
stand with me) Linda, You started all this with a post on the want ads. I know
for a fact that NOT ONE PERSON answered the want ad you posted back on Oct 3rd.
SO today, we’ve gathered here in Gratis Ohio to collectively answer that want
ad. Linda, we are here to ask that you accept the keys to this 1998 Gold Wing
SE, (that we have dubbed Big Red 2) in answer to your want ad, so you can have
your wish and put Bill on it. (Hand keys to Linda). And from your many friends
(and new family) we wish you many miles and smiles of happiness as you ride
together on it.